Field of Dreams (open)

[Stare]

Senalia

The soft, warm wind whips at my hair as I run. Trees are all around me, with leaves that look like clouds. No... not clouds. Cotton. Darkness creeps through the trees, and the moon makes everything seem to glow...
I mumble, turning in my sleep. For a moment, I am partly awake, but almost instantly drift back into my strange but farmiliar dream.
I trip and fall, but quickly get up and begin running again.
"Mama!" I shout. "Papa!"
But there is no answer. Only the wind, whistling through a branch.A little call escapes my lips as I roll over again, gripping onto the sheets of my bed.
I stumble again, but quickly speed back up. Everything looks the same, like I'm running around in circles. I keep on seeing the same trees with only the slightest difference. I'm lost. "Mama! Papa!"
I bolt up in my bed, my breathing heavy, and my mind racing. I try to clutch onto the dream, but it continues to fade. Somehow, though, the dream seems familiar. I've never had it before, but I feel as if I've seen those images before. But all too quickly, the dream vanishes, and I'm left coming up with blanks. I shake it off, though, and get dressed, walking into the market with a small smile on my face, nodding to familiar and unfamiliar faces. Most of them wrinkle their noses back. I hear someone mutter the word freak.
My smile widens. I'm so lucky to be living in a district with such kind people.
My eyes wander to a man selling cotton, and I rush over to him, counting out the coins and taking some, and then going to buy a pastry. I sit down on a bench, biting into my warm breakfast. The mysterious dream still haunts me, but I force it back into the shadows of my mind.

[semper]

Johnny Cooper Ghosthorse

He didn't know why he was at the market. His father had told him to sell one of the lambs, but Johnny had grown attached to it so he couldn't bring himself to sell it.

Cradling the lamb in his arms, Johnny meandered through the crowd, trying his best not to run into anyone. His height was a slight advantage, but not much. He was frequently elbowed in the collarbone as he headed towards a less populated area where there were benches. The shepherd boy let out a sigh of relief, looking down at the lamb as it peered at its surroundings curiously.

"Curious, aren't you, little fellow?"

He murmured to the lamb, causing it to look up at him. He took one of his hands and rubbed the animal's head before looking around once more. There were benches, but only one had a spot unoccupied, although a girl was already sitting there. 'Ah, well...' He thought, heading over and sitting down at the other end of the bench, setting the lamb in his lap.

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[Stare]

Senalia

I make more room as someone comes to sit near me, then smile at the little lamb in his arms. So small and innocent...
I think I hear footsteps behind me as I run, and I call out for my parents again, but they aren't there. No one is. I feel so small, so vulnerable in here...
I blink, and am back in town, sitting where I used to be. Was that another dream? But no, it can't be, I'm still sitting up, still in the market. Then what was it?
I shake my head and force myself to forget. Instead, I lean towards the little lamb. "What an adorable little lamb? Does it have a name?"
I cautiously stroke it's head, and smile softly.

[semper]

The little lamb rested its head on Johnny's leg, closing its eyes momentarily until its head was stroked. The lamb then raised its head, looking up at the girl's hand and sniffed it before nuzzling it.

Johnny looked over at the girl as she spoke, looking back at the lamb.

"His name is Thunder."

The shepherd boy answered hesitantly, feeling nervous around the girl.

"He's, uh.... he's very friendly..."



(( DX I'm so sorry for the shortness. My brain is dead.))

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[Stare]

((OOC: Don't worry about it!))

Senalia

I gaze gently at the little lamb, letting it nuzzle my hand, and then reaching out to stroke it again. My long hair falls into my face, and I don't make an effort to brush it out. The lamb is so soft...
I smile softly again. "He's very friendly. You must be proud to own him. But Thunder is a very strong name for something so small and innocent... I'm sure he'll grow into it, though."
I look up, past his shoulder, my eyes wandering from person to person. "Speaking of names, what's yours?"

[semper]

"I bet he will.... he was the biggest one of his flock, too. My Ma and Pa wanted me to sell him, but I'm thinking about just not even trying to sell him. I love him too much."

Johnny said, stroking the lamb's leg with his finger. He was startled as to how much he was opening up to her since he hardly even knew her. Maybe she was a possible friend? He didn't know, but obviously she had an interest in Thunder.

"Unless you'd like to buy Thunder....?"

He turned his brown eyes to look over at her, though he could hardly look at her eyes for a moment before looking back away nervously. Thunder lowered down a little, sneezed, and shook his head so that his long, soft ears flopped over his head as he did so.

"My name's Johnny."

He answered, looking in her direction with a small, timid smile.

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[Stare]

Senalia

I look down at the little lamb, drawing my hand back and resting in on my lap. "I could never buy him away from you. Besides, I don't have time to raise a lamb. With my parents gone, I have to do everything on my own. I wish I could, though."
I look towards him, my eyes sparkling. "My name's Senalia. I'm a weaver. I live a little out of town, but come here a lot to get cotton and wool."
I gesture to my bag, which is still sitting next to me.
"And I come here for the company. It gets lonely out in the fields. It's nice to have someone to talk to, although people rarely do."

[semper]

Johnny was a bit saddened by the fact that she couldn't buy the lamb, but at the same time he was happy. Thunder still belonged to him, and soon he would be able to return to the flock with all the other little lambs, able to play and not have a care in the world as he grew up.

"Well, it's certainly nice to meet you, Senalia."

He said, giving a respectful nod towards the girl.

"I'm a shepherd. I'm usually with my flock in a field, though we move around a lot. My mother's a weaver, too, though I don't usually talk to her 'cause I'm out watching the sheep. I don't usually get lonely, only 'cause I know the sheep by heart; I know what each of 'em likes, dislikes, who they like, don't like, and their eating habits. I'm not very creative with their names, though...."

The boy shrugged, stroking Thunder gently as he laid his head on the boy's lap, closing his eyes.

"Then I guess I'm glad I could help, Senalia...."

His reply was timid, along with the small smile he gave as he briefly looked up at her.

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[Stare]

My smile glows.
"Everyone is so nice here, but it seems like a lot of them just don't have time totalk," I say lightly. "But sometimes I get a good coversation going with someone, and that's nice."
My eyes wander over to a stand of beautiful weavings for sale. Bright colors seem to leap off of every thread, and in my mind, I believe that some day I'll be able to weave like that.
"See, you're lucky," I say. "You get to be with sheep. Where I live, there's just a whole lot of trees. Their great listeners, but it's hard to get an answer out of them."
I laugh a soft, musical laugh. It seems to pluck all tension right out of the air, and memories come back to me. My father used to laugh like that too. I haven't laughed in such a long time...
I'm jerked out of my thoughts when someone walking by knocks the rest of my pastry, which I'd set down next to me, onto the ground. They snicker, and then walk on.
"It's okay!" I call brightly after them. "Accidents happen!"
I turn back to Johnny. "Sorry. That seems to happen a lot here. People are just clumsy, I guess."

[semper]

Johnny shook his head. Because he had spent most of his life just with sheep, he wasn't very good at holding, or starting, a conversation. All the sheep would do was just continue eating and play around with each other -- but now that someone was actually replying, he didn't quite know how to continue.

"Sheep are the same way, not answering and all."

He replied, softly stroking Thunder's head. He looked up just in time to see a stranger knocking her pastry onto the ground. The boy watched the other person leave snickering, which made him narrow his eyes.

"That wasn't nice... not at all...."

Holding onto Thunder with one hand, Johnny reached into his pocket with the other and took out a few coins. It was all he had with him at the moment, but he thought that he should give the coins to Senalia so she could get another pastry.

"Clumsy? That fella seemed a bit more like a jerk, if you ask me..."

Of course, he was hesitant and quiet when he voiced his opinion about the stranger, though he handed his coins to her without a second thought.

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[Stare]

For a moment, I look at the coins in a bit of confusion. Then I smile and hand them back to him, my hand stopping for a moment to brush against Thunder. My eyes grow soft.
"I couldn't take money from you," I say. "It was my fault that I left it on the edge like that. It could easily be accidentally knocked down by someone."
I reach into my pocket, where some coins jingle. "I've got my own money, too. I'm not very hungry anymore, though."
I look up again, over his shoulder, listening to the different voices and watching people pass by.
"You know, you're very nice," I say lightly, a slightly distracted note in my voice. "I'm glad I've met you, Johnny. You should come to the feilds by my house sometime. It's very nice there. I think you'd like it."

[semper]

Johnny slowly nodded, taking his coins back and putting them into his pocket.

"You know, you're very nice, I'm glad I've met you, Johnny. You should come to the Fields by my house sometime. It's very nice there. I think you'd like it."

The shepherd boy felt his cheeks burning, causing him to look away, grinning sheepishly. He couldn't remember anyone telling him that they were glad to have met him.... as awkward as it was, he really didn't mind it. In fact, he really liked it.

"I'm sure that the sheep would like a new field to play in..... unless, of course, you wouldn't like it if I brought my sheep...."

The boy turned to look back at her, trying to overcome his embarrassment from before.

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[Stare]

Seeing his cheeks turn pink, I'm confused for a moment. But then he seems comfortable again, which must mean whatever bothered him had passed.
"I'd be glad if you brought your sheep!" I say brightly, watching a child behind him stumble before recatching their balance and moving on. "As I said, it get's lonely up there."
I look down at Thunder, stroking his head. I smile a little, and my olive colored eyes grow distant. "I already love this little guy."
Then I look back up, past his shoulder. "I'd really like the company. Just name the day and it's settled."
I blush a little. "As I'm sure you can tell, I'm not the most popular person here, so I don't have many visitors. It'd be good to have a change."

(OOC: Sorry it's short but I'm low on muse and tired...)

[semper]

((Tis alright. :3 ))


"I'd be glad if you brought your sheep!"

The boy gave a sincere smile as he heard her reply. Finally, somewhere good to take his sheep and to also get away from his family. Not that he wasn't already away from them enough, he just wanted to get further away. Johnny watched as she pet the little lamb.

"I'd really like the company. Just name the day and it's settled. As I'm sure you can tell, I'm not the most popular person here, so I don't have many visitors. It'd be good to have a change."

"Would.... would today be alright? I don't want you to feel like I'm rushin', or anythin'.... it's just that I think the sheep would really enjoy going somewhere new. And I know the feelin' about not havin' any visitors. I don't get very many either..."

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[Stare]

My entire face lights up.
"That'd be great!" I say with a grin. "Although... well, it might be a mess."
I giggle a little, and my hand reaches up to fiddle with my collar.
I blush a little. "It's probably not too great, though, compared to where you live. I don't have much money to spare, and my parents never did either, so it's kind of small."
Small but perfect...
I stumble, and once again look over my shoulder. I've become parinoid that someone's following me now. And finally, I trip, and fall hard. My head slams into something hard and cold, and then everything goes black...And then I'm sitting on the bench again.
"Sorry..." I murmur, slightly dazed. "I've been having the wierdest dreams lately..."
Then I snap completely back into focus, and smile.
"You and I seem to have a lot in common," I say lightly. "So would you like to come now? If you did, we could have lunch there."